NEW HAVEN — Years in the planning, the city Tuesday celebrated the Hill to Downtown project coming to fruition with the first of multiple parcels of empty lots or abandoned buildings on its way to new apartments.

City officials praised Randy Salvatore of RMS Companies for his investment in the city, where in addition to the housing under construction, he is building a hotel on High and George streets and constructed another apartment complex in the Dwight neighborhood, the Novella.

This 110-apartment complex will stretch more than a city block with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units. A $5 million grant from the state Department of Housing will allow 30 percent of the units to be affordable housing.

The New Haven state House delegation lauded the project in a statement late Tuesday.

“As we move forward with efforts to revitalize, reinvent and restore our urban centers, it is vital that we continue to support projects that unlock our city’s potential through the creation of new job and housing opportunities. This mixed-use building will become a flagship facility that will serve as the centerpiece of our city’s renaissance,” the New Haven House legislative delegation’s statement said. “The collaborative partnership between community stakeholders, city leadership and state officials helped turn residents’ ideas and needs into a reality. This project will be a pillar of the Hill community for generations to come.”

The four-story building designed by Boroson Architects will be on a site next to the Amistad Park in the Hill, close to Union Station. A mixed-use project, there will be space for retail development on the first level.

Located at the corner of Gold Street and Washington Avenue, this is phase one of the Hill to Downtown project which has been led by Livable City Initiative Executive Director Serena Neal Sanjurjo that will transform the Hill neighborhood.

The total Hill to Downtown project will cover 11.6 acres of property that for decades were empty or used only for parking lots.